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The Best Lightened-Up Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

lightened-up red velvet crinkle cookies - featured image
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These lightened-up red velvet crinkle cookies are soft, fudgy, and perfectly crinkled, made with whole wheat pastry flour and applesauce for a guilt-free indulgence. They deliver classic red velvet flavor without the heavy butter and sugar, proving you can have a delicious treat that’s also sensible.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose flour)
  • ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (natural, not Dutch-process)
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly (or unsalted butter)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar (organic cane sugar recommended)
  • ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon red food coloring (liquid or gel; gel preferred)
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar (for rolling, plus more as needed)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
  2. Whisk the dry ingredients together: In a medium bowl, combine the whole wheat pastry flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until well combined, about 15 seconds.
  3. Mix the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the melted coconut oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Stir until well combined (it will look grainy). Add the egg, applesauce, vanilla extract, and red food coloring. Stir until smooth and uniformly red.
  4. Combine wet and dry ingredients: Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in two additions, stirring gently after each until just combined. Do not overmix. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky.
  5. Prepare the coating: Place the powdered sugar in a small bowl. Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, portion out rounded tablespoons of dough (about 1.5 tablespoons each). Roll each portion into a smooth ball, then drop into the powdered sugar and roll until completely coated. For a better crinkle effect, double-coat: roll once, let sit for a minute, then roll again.
  6. Bake the cookies: Place the coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes. The cookies should look puffed and slightly cracked on top, set around the edges but still soft in the center. Do not overbake.
  7. Cool properly: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes (they are fragile). After 5 minutes, transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. The crinkles will develop more as they cool.

Notes

Don’t skip the applesauce—it keeps cookies soft without extra fat. Roll generously in powdered sugar for the best crinkle effect. Watch baking time closely; cookies go from done to overbaked in about 60 seconds. Use room temperature ingredients to prevent coconut oil from seizing. Do not overmix the dough to avoid tough cookies. For storage, keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days; place a piece of bread in the container to maintain softness. Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months or freeze unbaked dough balls (roll in powdered sugar before freezing, bake from frozen adding 2-3 minutes). Cookies taste even better the next day.

Nutrition

Keywords: red velvet crinkle cookies, lightened-up cookies, healthy cookies, red velvet, crinkle cookies, guilt-free dessert, whole wheat pastry flour, applesauce cookies

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